How busy is Brownwood

[tolter]

Do you think it'll ever be as busy as Sumpter or Spanish Springs.

[Madelaine Amee]

Do you think it'll ever be as busy as Sumpter or Spanish Springs.

I was here when LSL was the new town square and I believe I am correct in saying it took at least five (may be more) years to even begin to look like a town square, the store fronts went unrented for years. But, Sumter always had the water and it always was a great place to just sit and watch the water and have a coffee at the Sales Center - long before Panera arrived!

So, do I personally ever think Brownwood will be as busy as Sumter, no I do not, but that is just my opinion. I just think LSL has so much more going for it.

[graciegirl]

Do you think it'll ever be as busy as Sumpter or Spanish Springs.



There is no Pee in Lake Sumter.


Yes it will be.

[dbussone]

There is no Pee in Lake Sumter.


Yes it will be.


Thank goodness - on both counts!

[RickeyD]

They really should have built a water feature here.

[asianthree]

Do you think it'll ever be as busy as Sumpter or Spanish Springs.

As in store fronts, the square its self, or to live near?

[twoplanekid]

I like it just the way it is. I don’t want to see any changes or to have it look like the overcrowded Lake S or Spanish whatever. :1rotfl:

[HoosierPa]

We own across the street so we are partial to Brownwood mainly because it is a 30 min. cart ride to LSL and I doubt we will ever take our Cart all the way to SS. It would be nice if the Developer would give businesses an incentive to move into the empty spaces. It is the only Town Square with golf cart access only in one direction from it (Mainly from the North) so that does limit the draw IMO.

[villagetinker]

We own across the street so we are partial to Brownwood mainly because it is a 30 min. cart ride to LSL and I doubt we will ever take our Cart all the way to SS. It would be nice if the Developer would give businesses an incentive to move into the empty spaces. It is the only Town Square with golf cart access only in one direction from it (Mainly from the North) so that does limit the draw IMO.

HoosierPa, interesting idea, a graded incentive, reducing each year for say 5 years could really improve the economics and fill up the store fronts. It would be in everyone's interest to have these filled. There maybe one difference in this location, as I recall this is actually Wildwood, and not The Villages, so not sure what impact that has.
We live just south of 466a, and would really like more shops in Brownwood, we trek to Spanish Springs 3 times per week, by car, and would never think of going that distance in a Golf cart.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

We own across the street so we are partial to Brownwood mainly because it is a 30 min. cart ride to LSL and I doubt we will ever take our Cart all the way to SS. It would be nice if the Developer would give businesses an incentive to move into the empty spaces. It is the only Town Square with golf cart access only in one direction from it (Mainly from the North) so that does limit the draw IMO.

I've said it before that I found it very strange that Brownwood wasn't built halfway between LSL and route 44.

It's about three miles from SS to LSL and about eight miles from LSL to Brownwood. It seems to me that it would have made more sense to locate another town square where it would have taken some of the pressure off of LSL and drew from both sides.

But, these developers seem to know what they're doing. Give it some time and see how it looks in ten years or so.

[NYGUY]

I believe Brownwood will grow to be similar to Lake Sumter Landing and Spanish Springs. Remember it took at least 10 years for LSL to grown to its current size and it still has available commercial space. And, I think the far southern location of Brownwood was meant to draw business from the surrounding communities, just as Spanish Springs was. I have a feeling the Morse's know what they are doing!!

[UpNorth]

I've said it before that I found it very strange that Brownwood wasn't built halfway between LSL and route 44.

It's about three miles from SS to LSL and about eight miles from LSL to Brownwood. It seems to me that it would have made more sense to locate another town square where it would have taken some of the pressure off of LSL and drew from both sides.

But, these developers seem to know what they're doing. Give it some time and see how it looks in ten years or so.

>>>>Don't know if this is true, but a local real estate agent told me that the reason for Brownwood's location is that the town of Wildwood forced the developer to put it there for tax reasons. The developer wanted to tap into the Wildwood utilities, and Wildwood would not agree unless the Brownwood location is where it is today - completely in Wildwood. Otherwise, I'm sure the developer would have put it in a central location. It now makes it much harder to sell those houses way over in Fruitland Park.

[NYGUY]

>>>>Don't know if this is true, but a local real estate agent told me that the reason for Brownwood's location is that the town of Wildwood forced the developer to put it there for tax reasons. The developer wanted to tap into the Wildwood utilities, and Wildwood would not agree unless the Brownwood location is where it is today - completely in Wildwood. Otherwise, I'm sure the developer would have put it in a central location. It now makes it much harder to sell those houses way over in Fruitland Park.

Sorry, I lost my compass, but isn't Wildwood in the southern end of The Villages? If so, I would imagine Wildwood Utilities are also in the southern end. Therefore The Villages wanted to build Brownwood in the southern end.

[outlaw]

Maybe the developer put it where it will eventually be in the middle of the TV development...

[dewilson58]

Maybe the developer put it where it will eventually be in the middle of the TV development...

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

[UpNorth]

Sorry, I lost my compass, but isn't Wildwood in the southern end of The Villages? If so, I would imagine Wildwood Utilities are also in the southern end. Therefore The Villages wanted to build Brownwood in the southern end.

Of course it is. But Wildwood determined WHAT PART of Wildwood they had to build Brownwood in. Otherwise, no access to our utilities.

[Barefoot]

Don't know if this is true, but a local real estate agent told me that the reason for Brownwood's location is that the town of Wildwood forced the developer to put it there for tax reasons.

A local real estate agent speculating about the location of Brownwood?
I seriously doubt The Developer would do anything that negatively affects house sales in The Villages.

[joldnol]

Brownwood will get bigger as soon as the new Costco and TJ's get built next to it......

[VApeople]

[QUOTE=UpNorth;1198403 It now makes it much harder to sell those houses way over in Fruitland Park.[/QUOTE]

Maybe the very high tax rate in the Fruitland Park section of Lake County has something to do with the slow sales in Pine Ridge.

[photo1902]

Maybe the very high tax rate in the Fruitland Park section of Lake County has something to do with the slow sales in Pine Ridge.

Do you live down here now? Regardless, cite your sources for the "slow sales in Pine Ridge".

[NECHFalcon68]

HoosierPa, interesting idea, a graded incentive, reducing each year for say 5 years could really improve the economics and fill up the store fronts. .

And what do you do/say to those already operating a business in Brownwood?

[justjim]

Dr. I agree 100%. I too have said the same thing. Brownwood does not have the number of homes close by as LSL or Spanish Springs. It does have a major State Highway in Route 44 that Sumter Landing did not have. Only time will tell what could be developed down on 44. Brownwood I think just needs a little more time to reach its potential.

[looneycat]

I've said it before that I found it very strange that Brownwood wasn't built halfway between LSL and route 44.

It's about three miles from SS to LSL and about eight miles from LSL to Brownwood. It seems to me that it would have made more sense to locate another town square where it would have taken some of the pressure off of LSL and drew from both sides.

But, these developers seem to know what they're doing. Give it some time and see how it looks in ten years or so.

i would think that is due to colony plaza and additional shopping along 466a

antrim dell shopping mall still to come...

[graciegirl]

Maybe the very high tax rate in the Fruitland Park section of Lake County has something to do with the slow sales in Pine Ridge.



Slow sales?


Where do you get your info? I haven't heard anything about slow sales. A little more than four years ago there wasn't ONE home south of 466A.

We had two homes for resale in our village in the last two months. One took five days to sell and the other ten. I don't think anyone is worrying about sales in The Villages.

[HoosierPa]

And what do you do/say to those already operating a business in Brownwood?

Why should Commercial Real Estate in the Villages be any different than Residential ? When a spec house sits empty / unsold for a certain period of time, it gets reduced time and time again until it sells like ours did

[graciegirl]

Maybe the very high tax rate in the Fruitland Park section of Lake County has something to do with the slow sales in Pine Ridge.


Look at the interactive map of new homes sold in the newer areas. Doesn't look to me like there is a problem.





The Villages - Quality Pre-Owned Homes, Home Resales. Our pre-owned homes are located throughout The Villages and represent years of popular home styles. (http://www.thevillages.com/homes/newly-constructed-homes.htm)

[VApeople]

Look at the interactive map of new homes sold in the newer areas. Doesn't look to me like there is a problem.

The Villages - Quality Pre-Owned Homes, Home Resales. Our pre-owned homes are located throughout The Villages and represent years of popular home styles. (http://www.thevillages.com/homes/newly-constructed-homes.htm)

Yes, we look at that website very often. Many of the new homes have had significant price reductions, which is a sign that they are not selling well.

On that website, it does not show how long the resales have been on the market or how much their prices have been reduced. We have been following one nice home in Mallory Square for several months and the price has been reduced a couple times but still no takers.

On Zillow.com, we have seen homes that have been on the market for six months or more.

[RickeyD]

Yes, we look at that website very often. Many of the new homes have had significant price reductions, which is a sign that they are not selling well.



On that website, it does not show how long the resales have been on the market or how much their prices have been reduced. We have been following one nice home in Mallory Square for several months and the price has been reduced a couple times but still no takers.



On Zillow.com, we have seen homes that have been on the market for six months or more.


Real estate is local, down to the house itself. May be a very good reason this Mallory Square house isn't selling. Based on experience, the Internet is a good first step. The remaining 42 steps are during the initial and subsequent footstep visits.

[graciegirl]

Real estate is local, down to the house itself. May be a very good reason this Mallory Square house isn't selling. Based on experience, the Internet is a good first step. The remaining 42 steps are during the initial and subsequent footstep visits.



Rickey is right.


It is interesting to watch how the homes move here. View lots can sell within a matter of hours. Some homes or lots are not as desirable as others. They might be the last to sell in the area and it seems it has always been the practice to mark them down. In the past sections were developed or built and sold and then another area built and sold. It keeps all of the different building teams and the mess in one area and then they move on.


As for resales not selling fairly quickly here, there is a reason. Too high in price, not clean, stinky, cluttered, extreme decorating or choices that would be hard or expensive to change. People just buy something else.

[600th Photo Sq]

Eventually yes..however..for pure entertainment wise and up there on watching Weirdos.... Spanish Springs was always on the top of my list for people dancing with their pet, or just prancing around in front of the pavillion.

Until....2 months ago..some Moron..was dancing with a Miniature Horse on the Square, yes indeed one of those times I wish I had a camera.

Maybe it's the Brownwood theme...another time some idiot was walking around with a Python wrapped around his neck..this was on a Saturday during Farmers Market..apparently this upstanding citizen is a regular.

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